


Four Seasons

by DreamsAndVirtues



Series: Four seasons [1]
Category: Free!, High☆Speed!
Genre: Aki deserves her own story, Also Im quite depressed because Free! ended so I need more, F/M, Free! parallel story, Gen, HaruAki Party, I want to make a story for Zaki-chan and her friends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-26
Updated: 2015-12-26
Packaged: 2018-05-09 09:56:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5535584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamsAndVirtues/pseuds/DreamsAndVirtues
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's time to move on, heading to the future. It's time to grow up. It's time to discover an image never seen before. That must be why fate decided to join the lives of Aki, Sakura, Michiru and Yuuki.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Four Seasons

**Author's Note:**

> Well first of all: Michiru and Sakura are the only characters created by me; second: this is a parallel story in wich the protagonists are among 17/18/19 and the only thing related to Free! is the place of Iwatobi and the fact that Aki is a swimmer; third: ENGLISH IS NOT MY NATIVE LANGUAGE so... sorry if i make any mistake. If you could help me to get better I will be thankful.  
> Please tell me your opinions!

"Do not know the future has its own advantages, it's more fun and exciting. One decision can change everything and everyone. It surprises us, makes us choose or leave. It shows us what we never thought possible. It makes us imagine what will happen next while we enjoy the present."

And at that moment what Aki was enjoying the most was the water, the fervent feeling of stretching her limbs and close her eyes while she was cradled by the streams of the indoor swimming pool. Looking at the ceiling she was floating like a piece of wood from a wrecked ship. Suddenly, she took a deep breath, dove in and let herself go.

In most of the competitions she had been known for her speed, nimble strokes and strong lungs. But today there wasn't any contest and the few remaining swimmers were beggining to withdraw. Aki could swim freely for a while.

\--------

While that happens in Rome, in North Korea has begun the women's athletics race. The stadium is full of people who don't stop screaming. Little by little the presenter introduces the competitors with their names, brief descriptions and the amount of trophies. For a moment, the camera focuses on a beautiful olive-skinned, green eyed girl.

-Here we have the rookie Sakura Kobayashi. We haven't seen much of her since she rarely participates in jumps racing worldwide. She has excellent skills and is very determined. She hasn't won any Olympic trophy yet, will this be her first time?

The commentator said no more and the camera turned to the next girl.

Sakura answered his question with a very low voice and a sneaky smile.

-Yes, it will. Today I won't lose.

A few minutes later, already in their positions, the starting gun sounds. Sakura's feet tread fast and fly when jumping, but she just looks towards the final line.

\--------

-Here you are, Yazaki-san!

Aki turned to see Harumi standing at the doorway.

-What is it, Haru-chan?

The young woman smiled and approached her.

-I wanted to know if you'd like that we visit the Coliseum tomorrow. I've come here several times and I know enough to show you.

Aki and Harumi had met at a competition the past year. They talked, encouraged each other, congratulated, wished for each other's luck, and said goodbye. When they met again, one could say they were almost friends.

-I'd love to, Haru-chan. But I will depart to Japan tomorrow morning.

-Oh, I see. I have to go now, someone is waiting for me. Guess we'll leave it for next time.

Harumi seemed distressed at first, but then she smiled. Aki pushed herself up from one edge of the pool and her partner handed her a towel.

-How long haven't you came back?

-A month, I think. I've never been so much time away from home.

-That's because you're still young. Wait a few more years and you'll be used to this routine... unless you choose to live elsewhere in the world.

Aki was surprised by that last comment and pondered for a few seconds.

-That doesn't matter now. As you said, I'm too young... I haven't even packed my bags yet.

They both laughed and hugged.

-I'll miss you. Have a nice trip.

They hugged even more tightly. Aki was happy to return to the place where she grew up and lived since she was a baby, where she created and saved memories to dig up when she returned. To home.

-Haru-chan, I'll go home.

\--------

Into Shinozaki high school silence didn't exist. You would pass by and hear the sound of a pencil falling on the floor, a foot marking the rhythm of a song, a laugh, a knock, a voice... Classes were long but not boring, the clubs were fun and the students were friendly. When it's time to leave, the driveway gets so thronged that it looks like an anthill. If you looked up, the trees and the sky colors seemed confusing like a painting.

Yuuki loved to know that she had been well accepted during the year, it filled her with energy for the next day, being the new girl could be tough sometimes, but this wasn't the case. She felt somewhat nostalgic as this would be her last year in high school, but that never stopped her from smiling. She walked a couple of blocks until she reached a bifurcation. From there she went to the right, heading to a narrow and sparsely transited street. A few more steps and she stood in front of a residence. She slid the door and took off her shoes.

-I'm back!

-Welcome.- said her mother from the kitchen.

She was the only one. Mr. Nakahara would probably not come for a few more weeks, and the younger brother was still with the basketball team.

Yuuki went upstairs, left her bag beside the desk and layed down on the bed. "Finally," she thought, and closed her eyes.

-Yuuki, lunch is ready!- her mother called. Yuuki woke up and stood up abruptly.

-Coming! - said as she went downstairs.

********

-I'll go earlier this afternoon. I have to practice.

Yuuki had the bad habit of talking with her mouth full ... very full.

-Are you sure? Is it because you have to practice or because you really love kyudo?

Yuuki's mother laughed. Yuuki did too, blushing.

-All right, but come back early. You have to help me tomorrow with the store.

-But it's Saturday! I must stay at the literature club.

-That has never stopped you, has it?

Mrs. Nakahara looked insistently at her daughter to hear her answer.

-Oh, whatever. I love working there anyway.

Yuuki was silent, but eventually agreed with a smile. For her, kyudo was the only thing that overcame her mother's pet shop.

\--------

The drama club was fifteen members, all of them with the same level of talent. Performing plays was never as much fun as at that time, because everyone got along well and there was no trace of rivalry. After introducing themselves and do little demostrations, the leader was elected by vote and opinions. At the end it was decided that a girl with long black hair called Ayako would lead the group.

-Thanks for choosing me! The drama club will have its best year, I promise you that we'll achieve our dreams.

Everyone applauded.

Seconds later they heard a rustle: someone had opened the door.

-Hi, this ... is there room for one more member?

\--------1 day after--------

The plane landed at the expected time at the airport. Aki ran directly towards the exit to find a taxi. It took an hour and a half to get to the places of her childhood.

-Can I get off? I know the way from here.-she asked the driver.

She walked six blocks without stopping, looking around. Then she took out her mobile phone and wrote a message.

>

She knew that the other person would take weeks to respond, perhaps never would, but still sent it. "He rarely uses his phone" she thought.

********

Her parents were waiting at the entrance. They embraced her beloved daughter while claiming that their child had grown up and how time had passed and "sorry that we could not go to see you" and all those things that protective parents would say to their daughter after a whole month.

Aki sniffed the air.

-What is that delicious smell?

-I made teriyaki to celebrate.- Mrs. Yazaki was wiping tears.

-Let's sit. Since your mother said she would prepare it my stomach hasn't stopped from growling.- Aki's father joked, making her laugh.

-That means she hasn't lost her gastronomic spark.

The house was as usual. Occasional new decor, but still the same. The same walls, chairs and furniture. It was like going back to the past, back to being a child. Outside there was a bowl with sticks above that Aki once used as a fish tank and then as a wishing well. The "fuurin" in the window of her bedroom could be heard when no one spoke and reminded her of that day when returning from school, when she layed on her back and listened to the bell that evokes the wind. In the corner of a living room's wall there were still stuck the little notes she had written ten years ago to cheer anyone who read them. Aki had also missed the dragged laughter of her dad and the peaceful voice of her mother.

Later, she went for a walk. While she passed by the Mutsuki bridge, watching the river, Aki recalled that time in winter while riding her bicycle her scarf released from her neck, falling into the water. Aki stopped to watch how the stream took it farther and farther away. "I was twelve and I was going to the swimming club. What would have become of it?" she thought. She hadn't passed by that street since she entered high school. Her mind recalled the way of memory, so she didn't need to ask anyone about its location.

Reaching a small square, she walked down a couple of streets; but suddenly no longer knew where she was. Glancing around, she changed sidewalk and went faster. That area had changed much during her absence, so she had no idea whether it was on the right track or not.

After a tremendous confusion, Aki found herself in front of a very familiar building. Yes, it had the same entrance, the area to place bikes on the side, through the glass doors there was a long corridor through which passed some children with swimsuits. The outside walls were painted in many colors and designs. Aki looked up and her eyes lit up.

-Iwatobi SC Returns.

\--------

Late in the afternoon, when finished the lessons, the dojo emptied quickly. Many few people were there by that time. There was peace, only the sound of cicadas and the wind was heard. Yuuki loved to stay after the trainings, because she could be herself.

Yuuki approached the shooting line, bow loaded and pulled the rope the most she could. She could see the target at the end and the arrowhead pointing at an exact point in it.

"The funny thing is that you don't know exactly where it will go. So many things can happen on the way that could weaken the arrow, all you have to do is trust you pointed to the right place, keep the bow in its place and... release" Yuuki thought.

The target was holed at the far right, just a strip from the center. Yuuki quickly reloaded, but this time she stopped, stretched her arm and stood still. She found that position very comfortable, one hand clutching the wood of the yumi (bow) and other with the glove approaching the string to her ear, the tip of the arrow brushing her cheek lightly. She enjoyed that moment, she felt powerful and wise. She breathed deeply, eyes focused on the target, sighed and fired.

\--------1 week after--------

\- Aren't you going to visit your father someday?

\- I have no reason to. He is no longer anything to me and doesn't need me either.

-¡Sakura don't talk like that! I thought you would understand that what happened is something that can occur in any family and that the fault is not his!

-Then who has it?

\- Well ... anyone. Our divorce didn't have a guilty. It was love that ceased to exist, that's all.

\- ¡It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!

Sakura was sick of everything. She had given up everything. She called herself the "unfixable failure", the "UF". It had been three years since her parents got separated and a week since she had realized that it was not worth fighting for nothing.

-Sakura, you are almost nineteen. Your immature attitude is ridiculous.

-¡Everything is ridiculous!- she concluded.-I won't talk more about this.- and leaned down on the couch.

-And that's it? Will you stay there doing nothing? Do you think I'm going to feed you and give you money like when you were a kid?

-If you put it like that, then I'll find a job. It wont be complicated. I can survive without you.

-But, what is it that led you to come here, behave this way and give up at ...?

Suddenly, Sakura stood up. She was upright and higher than before; glaring at her mother. After a few seconds, something in her expression turned menacing. Ms. Kihiro took a step back, stunned. "This can't be my daughter".

-Please leave me alone.

She got into her old bedroom and locked the door. Turning around, everything was as she had left it. The canopy bed, the red drawers where she kept her clothes and the posters of famous Olympic runners on the walls. She touched one of them and lots of thoughts filled her mind.

"When I grow up I want to be like them. I will win many medals and every time I do it, I will run all around the stadium with the flag of my country while I scream my victory." When Sakura was thirteen, it was hard to imagine not being a champion. She was sure she would be one. And now, six years later, she couldn't think about something like that, because it was not as simple as she thought.

Sakura rested her head against the wall and let out a long sigh. At that moment what she wanted the most was to run. She searched for a pair of sneakers and sportswear into her suitcase. It took five minutes to get dressed and pick up her straight hair in a ponytail as she always did. Once outside, she did some wam-up and stretched her legs. She checked her watch and began a jogging session. This time, the plan was to get as far away as possible from her mother's house... and her problems.

\--------

-Thanks for your purchase, and take good care of it!

Yuuki thanked him and stroked the little brown puppy's head. She waved a hand and smiled as they left.  
There wasn't any other clients to attend, so she went to the back and played with the puppies. She usually opened the cages and took them out to a small patio for them to take some air, but today she was looking for one in particular. It had been brought a few days ago, according to her mother, and was very cute; black with a white muzzle and paw. When she found it, it seemed the most adorable and chubby little thing she had ever seen. Yuuki crouched in front of the little animal and reached out her hand to pat its head.

-So it's you, little one!

The animal licked the back of her hand and made her laugh.

-Hey, you wanna play?

Yuuki took a ball from her pocket and threw it. It was very funny when the puppy ran to catch it and got caught in its own paws, barking. Yuuki could not stop laughing. It stumbled again when returning and the girl raised it.

-I think I'll call you Boru. You're round, and you jump like a little ball.

Boru responded with a tiny bark and licked Yuuki's upturned and freckled nose.

The doorbell rang and a few steps were heard.

-Hello? Is there someone here?

Yuuki recognized that voice.

-¡She came back! - she told Boru as she jumped and crushed him against her chest. Yuuki left him on the floor and ran down the hall. Boru followed her howling and falling.

When Yuuki reached the counter, a girl with dun eyes and light brown hair tied in a bun was leaning against it.

-¡Zaki-chan!


End file.
